Garment press



-Oct. 27, 1936. J. w. B. COLEMAN GARMENT PRESS Filed June 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l WEN -0R Job/7 W5. (o/emu Oct. 27, 1936. J w COLEMAN 2,058,953

GARMENT PRES S Filed June 9, 1931 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT-PRESS 1 John W. B. Coleman, Round L ke, N. Y. Application June 9, 1931," Serial No. 543,153 4 Claims. 01. fa -n My invention relates to garment presses and particularly to a device of this character for pressing and shaping the shoulders of mens coats.

A It also relates to a novel method of procedure whereby all parts going to make up the complete shoulder ofa coat are shaped and pressed before they are tacked together. In the embodiment of my invention described and claimed in this ap plication the particular portion of the shoulder which the machine is designed to press, is that known as the front shoulder, and includes that portionof the coat extending between the armhole and collar and between the shoulder seam and a line extending horizontally across the front of the shoulder from approximately the pointwhere the armhole seam is lost to view from thefront in the garment as worn. I find that this is about the maximum area I which can be pressed with a single lay, and for ders,-and more style and fitting points are lost pressing the back-shoulder a quite diiferent form is required.

; The style and fitting of a mans coat depend largely on the pressing and shaping of the shoul- My invention eliminates all of the uncertainties heretofore attending the shaping andpressingof coat-shoulders to attain the proper fit and style of the shoulder and collar. pressing buck that the garments can be properly aligned and positioned thereon by anyone, no 40" skilled operator is required, and the results at tained are absolutely uniform. Moreover, by

slight modifications in the details of the pressing forms, but without any departure from the in vention disclosed, various types, such as conservative, semi-conservative, young mens and. rope shoulders may be formed with ease and absolute uniformity. v

My invention includes the novel elementsand the combinations and arrangements thereof described below and illustrated in the accompany ing drawings in which I v Figjl is a fragmentary perspective View of a garment press comprising a pressing buck and 5. a pressing head embodying my invention and illustrating the parts separated;

By so designing my Fig. 2 is an end view, partially in section, illustrating the pressing head in engagement with the pressing buck Fig.3 is a rear view of the pressing buck, and Fig. 4is' a fragmentary section in the plane 5 4' 4'of' Fig. 3 showing the detail of the connecti ng stud.

I Referringto the drawings, l represents a base or "standard adapted to rest upon a table and having a top 2 provided with a chamber 3 into which steam is introduced to heat the buck plate f l. The upper surface of the buck plate upon which the shoulder of the coat is placed may be'generally defined as warped, and the plate is provided-with a continuous dependent flange 5 towhich the contour of the top 2 conforms. The buck plate is secured to the top 2 by means of studsandtapered pins, which will hereinafter be described in detail, and a gasket 6 is interposed betweenthe flange '5 and the top 2 to form an air-tight joint. There is thus formed between the buck plate! and the top 2 a vacuum chamber 1 provided with an evacuating passage 8. The top surface of the buck plate is provided with a multiplicity of perforations 9 by means of which steam is drawn through the garment in the usual manner. It is' understood, of course, that the buck plate is covered with a suitable pad which is "not shown.

My device is provided with the usual movable, hollotv' pressing head 8 into which steam is introduced throughthe pipe 9 and which is provided withfthei usual valve (not shown) for releasing steamand permitting it to flow through the perforated' head plate Ill. The lower surface H of the head plate is made substantially complementary to the upper surface of the buck plate andthe head plate is provided with an erect peripheral flange. to which the contour of the pressing head 8 conforms. The head plate is secured to the pressing head by means of studs 12 and tapered'pins I3, and a gasket M is interposed between the head and head plate to form a steanfitight joint. The lower surface of the headj'plate'is provided with the usual perforations l'5"andit is to'be understood that this surface is covered with the usual screen.

In tn" "the buck" plate conforms generally in area to the "zone defined by projecting on a horizontal plane .that portion of the shoulder of a coat which is included between the armhole seam, the collar, the shoulder seam, and a line drawn horizontally across the chest of the coat in worn position and passing approximately through the point where the armhole seam dis- 55 appears into the arm pit when viewed from the front.

The buck plate and the head plate are made in pairs, that is, one pair for the right front shoulder and one pair for the left front shoulder. In the drawings, the plates shown are for pressing the right shoulder.

From a consideration of the drawings, it will be apparent that the buck plate is concave longitudinally and convex transversely. The edge N5 of the buck plate is substantially an elliptical are lying in a vertical plane and conforms in curvature to that desired in the upper and front portion of the shoulder adjacent the sleeve seam. That is, that portion of the shoulder extending forwardly and downwardly from the shoulder seam to approximately the point where the sleeve seam begins to enter the arm pit. The edge I! of the buck plate, as viewed from above, is substantially a circular arc and conforms generally to that portion of the collar seam extending forwardly of its intersection with the shoulder seam. As viewed in Fig. l, the highest point in the right hand edge of the buck plate is indicated at l8 (see also Fig. 2). Point I8 is the intersection of the rear edge, 19, and the right hand edge I! of the buck plate and conforms generally to the point of intersection of the collar and shoulder seams. I consider the rather sharp upward curvature, toward the point l8, of the edge I9 and the surface portions 22, adjacent thereto, to be an important feature of my invention. By this arrangement the proper spring at the side of the neck is provided where collar fullness is placed for that purpose. In fact, some fullness should be provided at both sides of the shoulder seam near the collar to obtain the proper spring at this point.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that three edges of the buck plate, and the head plate too because it is complementary to the buck plate, conform to three well defined lines on the garment that is, the edge l6 conforms generally to the arm hole seam, the edge I9 conforms to the shoulder seam, and the edge I! conforms to the collar seam. Thus there are provided certain definite guides whereby an unskilled operator may position each garment upon the buck plate in precisely the same way so that it will be correctly shaped and pressed.

One of the important features of my invention resides in the simple means provided for quickly interchanging both the pressing plate and the buck plate whereby a single machine is adapted to shape and press an unlimited variety of shoulders.

In the ordinary type of garment pressing machine the top of the buck and the base are made either integral, or the top of the buck is secured to the base by a multiplicity of bolts to obtain an air-tight joint. Similarly, the pressing plate has generally been an integral part of the pressing head. Obviously, such an arrangement requires a complete machine for each style of garment which makes the cost of complete machine pressing prohibitive except for the largest manufacturers.

Fig. 4 illustrates the manner in which my buck plate is secured to the base and it is to be understood that the pressing plate is secured to the head by similar means. A stud, 20, is threaded into each end of the buck plate, 4, and is of sufficient length to extend downwardly through the top of the base 2. Below the base, 2, the stud is provided with an opening, 23, into which a taper pin or wedge 24 is driven thus securing the buck plate to the top of the base. It will be noted that the stud is not screwed into the top of the base to the full depth of the hole so that some space is left for adjustment.

In operation, the coat 25 is placed upon the buck as shown in Fig. 3, the arm hole seam being fitted about the convex edge I6 of the buck plate. The shoulder seam 26 is then approximately aligned with the concave edge IQ of the buck plate which will bring the intersection of the collar seam and the shoulder seam approximately above the high point I8 of the edge [1. In this position the pressing head is lowered upon the shoulder and the garment is pressed in the usual manner.

Heretofore in the manufacture of coats it has been the practice to press and shape the canvas and its associated parts independently of the shoulder of the coat before basting the armhole and shoulder seam. Hence the entire shoulder was never pressed as a unit until all the parts thereof were tacked together. The canvas and the shoulder being shaped separately and. generally by different operators were never precisely alike and armhole basting required unusual skill in making these separate parts lie properly together.

By my method of procedure the canvas, haircloth, felt, and coat material are all pressed and shaped together, not after they are tacked together but before. All the parts are pressed and shaped together while there is opportunity for relative movement, thus insuring uniformity of shape in each ply of fabric and eliminating the necessity of making the parts lie properly together with the basting operation.

By thus pressing and shaping the various parts unattached and giving the coat precisely the same treatment in the off pressing after all parts are tacked and fastened together all chance of a conflict of ideas between different operators is eliminated because in the under pressing and off pressing the coat receives precisely the same treatment.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment and illustrated one type thereof, it is to be understood that the drawings are purely illustrative and that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation. Hence, structural changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is 1. In a device for pressing and shaping the shoulder of a coat, including a steam heated base and a buck plate provided with a perforate pressing surface, means for detachably securing the plate to said base to permit quick change of plates and comprising a plurality of studs secured to said plate and extending into openings in said base, and wedges coacting with said studs and base to draw the plate and base tightly together and to secure the buck plate thereto, said studs and openings being constructed and arranged to establish said buck in predetermined position on the base.

2. In a device for pressing and shaping the shoulder of a coat, including a steam heated base and a buck plate provided with a perforate pressing surface, means for detachably securing the plate to said base to permit quick change of plates and comprising a plurality of studs secured to said plate and extending through openings in said base, and tapered pins passing through said studs and wedged against said base drawing the plate and base tightly together, said studs and openings being constructed and arranged to establish said buck in predetermined position on the base.

3. In a device for pressing and shaping the shoulder of a coat, including a pressing head to permit quick change of plates and a pressing plate, means for detachably securing the plate to the head and comprising a plurality of studs secured to said plate and extending into openings in said head, and wedges coacting with said studs and head for securing the plate thereto, said studs and openings being constructed and arranged to establish said head and plate in predetermined relative position.

4. In a device for pressing and shaping the shoulder of a coat, including a pressing head and a pressing plate, means for detachably securing the plate to the head to permit quick change of plates and comprising a plurality of studs secured to said plate and extending into openings in said head, and tapered pins passing through said studs and wedged against said head, said studs and openings being constructed and arranged to establish said head and plate in predetermined relative position.

JOHN W. B. COLEMAN. 

